Otrupon Meyi

The tiger’s lack of will

The tiger was an unbeatable fighter, but he had no will to resist his mate, the tigress. One day, Orunmila gave him an Osode reading and found this Ifá: «You have a weakness for the tigress; she rules your will by biting you before ofikale otrupon». For this reason, the awo must not allow the obini to bite him, since this makes him lose his will. It must always be he who keeps control. This Ifá speaks of the woman’s bondage.

How Orunmila uncovered one of his enemies

Orunmila had many unknown enemies, but one day, while he was giving a reading, this letter appeared. He decided to make ebó with the ingredients named above and set out on his way. Suddenly he noticed a shape that caught his attention, so he prodded it with his divining staff. At that moment, the tiger that had been feigning sleep in order to devour Orula ran off. Thanks to his skill, Orunmila managed to uncover one of his enemies.

The path of the burnisher

There was a polisher who stood out above his colleagues, and so they envied him and tried to get rid of him. They decided to look for a tiger so that, pretending to be asleep, it would kill him at the first opportunity. However, the polisher had performed a ritual with a stick, a needle and black and white thread, and, without driving the stick in, he went along tapping the ground until he came upon the tiger that was at the door. The beast fled in fright.

Ikú and the empty house

There was a man who had several enemies, who joined together to conspire against him and planned to kill him. They lured him to an empty house and told an attractive young man well versed in the Oshas, named Okuni, that if he were brave he should enter the house. Okuni, who knew how to read the signs of the Ifá, consulted Orunmila, who revealed to him that it was a deadly trap and that if he entered the house and heard a noise, he must not go any further, but should knock on the shutter of the door. When the man reached the house, he found the door open and, on knocking at the shutter, he heard Ikú (death), who was trying to kill him. Okuni, terrified, ran out shouting that he had a staff, while Ikú pursued him. However, when Orunmila arrived, he managed to stop Ikú and save the man’s life.

Put on the Idde after receiving Orunmila.

The little white house

In the land of Abako Nile, the inhabitants suffered from hunger and disease and longed for good health. They went to Orunmila’s house, and he consulted them through the Ifá and advised them to offer a eure to their deity, carrying the meat and the iñales up to a hill where they would find a small house painted white. There they were to hand over the meat of the offering and eat only the inner organs, so as to free themselves of everything negative and recover their health.

The people of Abako Nile set out and had to walk for a long time. Along the way they began to feel hungry, and some of them proposed eating the meat of the offering, arguing that it would nourish them better. Some opposed the idea, but in the end they all ate the meat.

Suddenly they caught sight of the small house on the hill and realised they had acted rashly. They approached the house, left what was left of the iñales and ifu at the door in secret, and withdrew quietly. But as they made noise, Olofin, Odduduwa, Eggun and Bogbo Orisha came out of the house and began calling to the people.

The people of Abako Nile took fright and ran off, leaving the iñales and ifu behind. Then Eggun and Bogbo Orisha began to eat the iñales and ifu, and Eggun lamented that the people had not listened to him, since there would still have been time to save themselves. As a result of their disobedience, the inhabitants of Abako Inle (that is, humankind) went on suffering illnesses, while Eggun and Bogbo Orisha never suffered them, thanks to the virtue of Olofin.

The path where Shangó ate owunko for the first time

There was a time when Abo was Shangó’s best servant, but one day he began to conspire against him, allying himself with Owunko and Eure. When Abo decided to rebel against Shangó, he agreed with Owunko and Eure to hide Shangó’s weapons and to provide him with sharpened horns to attack Shangó.

Then Abo challenged Shangó to a fight in an open field near the village and waited for him there with a pair of sharpened horns. Meanwhile, Eure stayed nearby to guard some spare horns in case Abo needed them, and Owunko also hid himself in case Abo needed his help.

When Shangó received his slave’s challenge, he went to fetch his weapons and was startled to find that all of them had been stolen. All he had left was the akana bat, which he had not used for some time. Faced with this, he went to Orunmila, who consulted him through the Ifá and told him to make an ebbo (the one above), which included offering two akukos, one for Eshu and another for himself, so that he would be stronger in the fight.

After making the ebbo and fulfilling everything he had been told, Shangó went out with the akana bat to meet Abo. The two clashed in the open field of the Yebu plain, and the fight was bloody. In the first exchanges neither of the combatants gave ground, but in one violent charge Abo knocked Shangó down, leaving him badly battered.

But Shangó, gathering his strength, rose again and managed to land a heavy blow on Abo that broke the horns he was carrying, sending him fleeing wounded into the forest. When Abo reached the place where Owunko was hiding, the latter ordered him to go quickly to fetch the eure’s spare horns in order to carry on the fight against Shangó and finish him off.

Meanwhile Eshu, who had heard everything that had happened, was on Shangó’s side thanks to the magic granted by the ebbo. Eshu went out into the field and closed all the roads, so that Owunko lost his way as he went towards the eure. In the end, Owunko came face to face with Shangó and Eshu.

When Eshu saw Owunko, he said to Shangó: «This one betrayed you along with Abo and the Eure, so eat him. He will serve you as medicine». Shangó struck him down with a single blow and noticed that he was carrying his sword, so he took it and cut off his head. Then Shangó and Eshu drank his blood. Shangó felt revived and went out with his sword to face Abo. Shortly afterwards, Shangó found Abo, who, seeing him threatening, strong and spirited, with his sword in one hand and in the other the bat together with the hide and the frontal bone of the Owunko, trembled with fear at the fate of the Owunko.

Even so, Abo threw himself into the attack, and at the first attempt Shangó beheaded him and ate him. Then he pronounced: «As long as the world exists, I and my children will go on eating Abo. Even so, this will not prevent me from eating Owunko when it is necessary, for he is my medicine. I will not eat Eure, out of consideration for my father Obatalá, since it is his favourite animal, and in honour of Otrupon Meyi. Each time he visits my kingdom, I shall have the pleasure of eating Owunko at his side».

“Shangó Alafia Kisioko Mana Mana Okuni Imoshe Akackuo Eni Moyuba Kue Iquio Ati Togbo Omore Ique Gua Ofe Ña Owunko, Tire Boko Kuro Okua Ki Lekekubo Ana, Eiye Kinida Eshu Kino Ati Basoro Emi Enia Moyugba Ogedo Kinida Eshu Kima Ati Basore Emu Enia Motuba Eiye Kuinisokima Eshu Kina Ati Emole Oriki Gualejo Banishe Ayuba Ogodo Kinisoko Eshu Kina Ati Emole Oriki Eni Edabi Bambishe Agua Erele Eyo Leribo Ounko Shangó Ana Moguayo Ati Okua Atele Owunko Mo Si Kosi Okua Otele Ounko Shangó Ayuba. Shangó Ana Moguaye Okua Atete Owunko, Mo Eikosi Okua Otete Owunko».

7.- THE MONKEY KING.

There was an awo who visited the land of the monkeys and, on arriving there, divined everything that was put before him, which quickly won him great fame. When the king of the monkeys heard of it, he realised that this awo was not convenient for his territory, because he overshadowed him, so he decided to be rid of him and thought of killing him. The king set a trap, which consisted of having the monkeys spread the word among the people that the awo had died, and then inviting the awo to his own wake.

That night, at the wake, there were many people, and on receiving the news the awo consulted the Orishas to find out what was going on, and he was told to beware of a trap, so he decided to make an offering. Later, when he arrived at the wake, the awo drew near the coffin where the king was «resting» and began to recite a prayer. Then the king, who was feigning death, sneezed.

The awo fled while the king of the monkeys went on sneezing. Because it was late, the monkeys who were sleeping woke with a start. One of them shut the door of the house and another took the key of the door to hand it to the king so as to lock the awo in — the awo being Orunmila. Another monkey, dazed on the floor, mechanically struck the one holding the key in his hand. The key flew out of the room and they were all left prisoners inside.

In this path is where Eshu visits the land of Shangó.

How Owunko is given to Shangó. The Owunko must be white and young, and he eats it together with Elegbara, pouring eyerbale over the latter and over an igba prepared with salt, atare and epo. From this igba all those present will take a little, and afterwards akuko meyi is sacrificed.

The path where Ifá was desolate

Ifá felt desolate and unhappy, so he decided to ask Olofin for help in remedying his troubles. Olofin told him to make an offering to his mother of all the round fruits he could find, as part of a ritual to solve his problems. Ifá’s mother lived in a distant place, so Elegbá offered to be the messenger and took a rooster (akuko) as an offering. When he reached the house of Ifá’s mother, Elegbá told her that her son had died and that there was no one for the funeral, urging her to come at once to Olofin’s house.

She began to weep and told him that she could not walk any further. Then Elegbá offered to carry her in exchange for a few things. She had an ox that belonged to Aiku Baleye, and in its 12 horns lay the secret of the life of men on earth. Eshu insisted that without them he would take her nowhere. In the end she agreed and gave them to him.

The ox was sacrificed, and the blood that came out of its body was fire. Elegbá decided to consult Ifá, who told him to make an offering with all the ox’s inner organs.

After making the offering, they cooked the ox’s head to eat its meat and placed it in a pot. Yet, however much fire they gave it, it stayed raw. Exhausted, Elegbá carried Ifá’s mother along with the head. At that time Elegbá had no head, and on placing the ox’s head where his own should be, Elegbá’s head was formed. Ifá’s mother sang: «Ori Iya Ni Ifá Aiku Balele Ifá».

When they reached Ifá, he too had no head, and Olofin ordered a sacrifice to be made with all the round fruits. The mother went to the house of the three Olofin to apologise, and suddenly black cats began to come out of the pumpkins. She drew near to look at them, and she became the head of Ifá, thanks to the magic of Nana Buruku.

Awo Otrupon Meyi must have three iba edun.

From then on Nana is called Oro Weni Meta Olofin (the mother who gives a head) to people. In this Ifá the awo must have three Olofin, and a charm is carried, loaded with ox horns (12), lined with cowrie shells and beads of all the Saints.

Obatalá’s illness

Obatalá said: «To know whether Shangó loves me, he must prove it to me». Not long after, Obatalá fell gravely ill, and word spread that he had died. When Shangó was told, he went out of the house and looked at how nature stood; everything seemed normal. Then he went back inside and had plenty of amala ila prepared, and ate very well. Afterwards he went to Obatalá’s house, walking right through to the back. When he reached Obatalá’s bed, he began to drink outrageously, which startled Obatalá and made him leap up. Shangó said to him: «Father, they had told me you had died, and out of the shock I received, I did this». Then Obatalá said to him: «Now is when I know how much you love me».

Beware of a fright, lest the person otoku.

The path of the wildcat

Vita, the wildcat, was a healer and diviner by Olofin’s command, and he was widely renowned. However, the other animals envied him and wanted to kill him. So they sought out the tiger and plotted with him to kill Vita. The tiger pretended to be ill, and they sent for Vita to cure him. Vita, suspicious, went to Orunmila’s house, and Orunmila saw this Ifá for him and advised him to take care, because he had many proud enemies who wished to destroy him. He counselled him not to visit the sick, nor wakes, nor parties. Thanks to this, Vita’s enemies failed in their attempt to kill him.

INTORI EYO: take care that you are not wounded with a bladed weapon, because there will be a tragedy in which such a weapon comes out.

You have a half-brother on your father’s side and you are quarrelling over an inheritance; come to an agreement and do not fight, so that you do not spend the money on lawsuits.